Happy Caturday! This sleepy kitty is a winning entry in a “Street Cats” photography competition held by International Cat Care, which attracted over 2,100 entries from 56 countries. (Photo: Heiko Damme, Germany)
Weekend Open Thread
72 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread”
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It’s Canada’s 150th birthday today so I’m off to Canada Place in Vancouver (where I work everyday anyway) to volunteer. There are a TON of activities planned to celebrate but I’m specifically volunteering at the citizenship ceremony to welcome 150 new Canadians! Hope y’all have a wonderful weekend! Your July 4th day off is soon to come. 🙂
Have a great time, neighbor!
And happy birthday, Canada! ??
Happy 150th! Have a terrific time and know we wish you well.
Happy Canada Day fellow Canadians! I have the parade bands warming up outside my window here in Port Credit, Mississauga. Going down to Niagara on the Lake for dinner with the family.
Be well and safe all and have a wonderful long weekend!
Happy Birthday!
We MUST do coffee one day, we’re so close.
Happy Birthday, Canada!
?????????
Happy day to Canada and all Canadians!
I kind of wish I were one of those 150 new citizens. Is that wrong?
There’s always next year.
And you are most welcome.
No, DEBG, I can totally empathize with that wish!
Alex Trebek was wearing a hockey jersey at the beginning of Jeopardy last night in honor of Canada’s birthday. They also had a category on Canada.
Happy Canada Day! And congratulations to the 150 new citizens – how exciting!
I went to Steveston instead. First time ever checking out their Canada Day celebrations. It was a lot of fun. Lots of people, but it didn’t feel crowded. I’m so glad we had good weather today.
I can only handle crowds for so long. I did my bit, got out there and socialized and smiled at people, and now I’m relaxing.
Happy birthday Canada!! ??
Unfortunately Mother Nature has not graced us with nice weather here in Québec, add to that the fact that I have a summer cold and can’t stop coughing, it means I’ll be watching the celebrations on TV from my living room instead of being part of it as I had planned.
Aw, feel better soon, GiGi. Snuggle up with cats – a sure cure.
Happy Canada Day everyone! >:3
Happy Canada Day from Gloomy NYC!
It’s sunny out my window in Midtown but it will be a gloomy 4th otherwise, for sure.
Yay it’s Canada Day! Here in Winnipeg my husband and I had planned to go to the opening of a new splash pad in the neighbourhood, so I really hope it warms up! Then off to the park, then a street festival, and fireworks tonight!
So please have a thought to those companion animals that will be freaked out by fireworks – it shall get pretty noisy in Canada tonight!
Happy Canada Day! Wish I was up north joining in the celebrations. I remember Canada Day celebrations from when I was I kid and we were visiting my mom’s relations either in Nova Scotia or Toronto. Also still have memories of the ’67 Expo.
Not much on the table this weekend, I think I have a small bug and not feeling too good so most of my weekend will be puttering around the house. I do have a few errands to run this morning or else me and puppy dog won’t have anything to eat.
To those also suffering some cold or other malady, feel better! And Happy early 4th to my fellow Americans. Hopefully, not too many doggies or other 4 leggeds get lost when the fireworks go off. The Humane Society here in San Diego was a doing a great thing yesterday – they offered free microchipping ahead of the holiday so if a dog got spooked, there would be a way to reunite dog and owner. Such a great idea, maybe next year other Humane Societies, shelters will do the same.
Oh. no, another person under the weather1 feel better AJ! And good advice about critters – keep them safe and preferably indoors.
Happy first of July! (Yay, Canada!) Can anyone believe that we’re halfway through the year already? Where has it gone? Inquiring minds want to know!
Got my dental appointment taken care of and had my “joint class” this week, so I’m two steps closer to replacement. There’s a bit of a lull for the next few weeks before I have anything… this can’t get over with soon enough for me!
Here’s Lily with her best “I’m not doing anything” face. She wears that expression a LOT. 🙂
Oh, Lily’s not doing much – except standing on someone’s head! – a fairy – with a book! no less.
Don’t blame you for wishing your replacement was all done with – we will be here and keep us updated!
Beautiful, beautiful picture!
I’m stuck inside today which may not be so bad except there was a musical event I’ve had to forego. I’m at the tail end of wrapping up the painting on a CD cover. I have a friend (may have told you this before – forgive the repetition) who has a great children’s Rock and Roll band called The Cat’s Pajamas. They focus on literacy and play a lot of libraries. This CD is her swan song album and the cover is a passle of cats having a pillow fight and it’s so much fun. I’m down to figuring out what sorts of colors and patterns go on the pjs and the pillows.
Tomorrow night a neighbor is having us over for a cookout and maybe a little music – don’t feature doing much in the garden since it’s going to get pretty warm and humid around here – low 90’s I believe. It was 77 at 7am. But I know there are those dealing with 117 in Arizona so I musn’t grumble.
Murray, re colours and patterns, are you permitted to use glow in the dark? So many kids love that, and it’s perfect for a sleepover concept.
When you’re painting for reproduction you can’t use anything that’s too off the wall – a four color process can only go so far in mimicking a color. Otherwise it would have to be printed as a separate color – VERY expensive. But thanks for offering an idea! I put glow-in-the dark stars on my seasonal chandelier lampshades tho’ the effect was less than I’d hoped for.?
That sounds adorable – I’d love to see pix when done!
I will post a picture after the CD comes out – I wouldn’t want to steal anybody’s thunder by doing it any sooner! Somehow my work is, for the most part, in the “cute” or “whimsical” category, just to prepare you.
Sounds great – yes, I totally understand not wanting to jump the gun.
Have fun @ the cookout! Hope the weather is nice.
Hey! Cute and whimsical are great!?
Happy Birthday Canada!
Sending best wishes your way
Much love to our neighbors to the North! Go, Canada…
Happy Canada Day from Mid-State NY!
Just cleaned sheepie pen and chicky house, horribly humid here, waiting on the storms. Tomorrow our summer guest arrive for a couple of months, they were here last year too, their names are Bonny and Clyde and are two teeny tiny babydoll southdown sheep! Hope our 3 nutters welcome them again without too many headbutts 😉
Babydoll southdown sheep??? Never heard of them so had to look them up and OMG you must send pics!!! The ones I saw on the internet are just soooooooo cute!
I *love* Babydolls. Give them kisses from me!
The two we look after are a little up there in age, so they have a…um, how do i put this, a wiser look about them now, rather than cute, but i still think they are adorable and so sweet with big heads and wee legs. I will give lots of kisses from you Debg!
As a Canadian I am celebrating 150 years of colonization. But I recognize that it was not our country to overtake so mixed feelings! I don’t want to be negative or political but we have to remember what went before and how that lead to difficulties today.
So very true, Dulcie. I’ll hold all First Peoples in my thoughts today. At least Canada doesn’t have a Columbus Day, which always strikes me as the ultimate insult.
Too true! I once saw a native Canadian wearing a t-shirt that said “Indian Nation…fighting terrorism since 1492”.
Oh, I love that!?
Oh, I’ve seen a similar tee in the Northern Sun catalog – an old tintype-style photo of a group of Native Americans, with the caption “Department of Homeland Security.”
I so get that! Whenever I hear politicians talking about taking back the country I think – wow, are we going to hunt bison again? Live in Teepees? Care about the earth, our Mother? Cool.
⬇️
Yes!
YES! I feel the same. This sums it up so nicely… https://www.buzzfeed.com/shadyhafez/the-12-step-program-to-reconciliation?bfsource=bbf_enca&utm_term=.prYkZYrwr#.qo1OwP7a7
During the ceremony yesterday morning there was an acknowledgement that we were on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, we need to take more active steps toward reconciliation, and also a traditional greeting from our local Musqueam Chief. It was nice to see the elephant-in-the-room noted but more action would be better!
Wow! At least you have someone who has thought this all out intelligently. I now understand a bit more of what you want/need in reconciliation. Thanks for posting that.
Happy day to all, and recovery hugs/purrs to those under the weather or otherwise achey.
Big DIY plans for me this weekend. While working on the kitchen last summer, I also ripped up the flooring on stairs leading down to my basement but kind of stopped halfway, realizing that I’d basically have to replace all treads and risers. Bought all the materials and stacked them in the garage, where they’ve sat for nearly a year.
So on this 4-day weekend (yay, office is closed Monday!), I’m cutting treads and risers to size, painting the risers blue and staining the treads to match the kitchen floor, ripping up all the old stuff, and replacing it with the new stuff. It’s the kind of project that, once started, has to go to its completion or I can’t get down to the basement for laundry, yarn, etc. I’m already anticipating sore muscles and lots of sweatiness, as ripping out with a crowbar is hard work.
Tour de Fleece, the annual spinning event that coincides with Tour de France, starts today. So I’ve also got to find time to spin every day! It will be great to sit on my keister each evening after dealing with those stairs.
Pics of finished stairs? Good luck!
DEBG, you are intrepid beyond belief. A crowbar, no less – I wouldn’t know where to begin. I do admire you.
Happy Canada Day from a half Canadian!
Artwork in ac for me today with timely naps and snuggles with Millie. PJs only too.
Millie has added twirling on command to her list. She is rewarded for every use of her pad with a treat. But she must sit, give paw, sit way up, and now dance to get it.
Any suggestions for the next trick? Maybe crawl? That could lead to play dead?
I now own a dedicated web address for my ptsd artwork and writing. I have posted 31 out of 33 drawings. Take a look but be mindful of adult content that might be distressing for some. BEST VIEWED ON PC, NOTEBOOK or TABLET. Mobile access is only an edited version.
http://www.theillustratedpatient.com
What’s the difference between Previous and Gallery?
Hi Dubravkamcvmd, Galleries are art only. Previous includes my accompanying text for each picture. Thank you for asking.
Crawl, or cover her eyes with her paws?
I tried sit then down. We shall see.
How about right paw left paw? High five?
She alternates paws and sits up and gives an almost high five.
She took up the baton before I met her!
LOL, I somehow pictured ‘twirling’ as ‘baton twirling’ and thought ‘Wow, Millie really is a genius!’
See above!
Happy Hot Summer Day from Philly! It is sweltering here but I have not yet caved to the ac. I’m sure it will happen soon, but at the moment I have three fans pointed at me and seem to be managing.
Happy Canada Day to our neighbors to the North!
To those of you feeling not so great I sure hope you feel better soon. Its a mixed bag, feeling rotten on a long weekend isn’t it?
I have taken the entire week off and am tackling an incredibly long list of things to do. One long over due project is to weed paperwork! It has been overflowing onto the kitchen bench for (dare I admit it?) years. Lots of tax returns to shred – too many because my poor little shredder keeps over heating. Since I’ve been good this morning doing something boring that just needs doing, I get to go downstairs soon and do some fun sewing. I need a new dress, a new bag/pocketbook, I saw this great toolkit a friend has, and I want to make some pillow cases and and and…
Murray C. – I released the queen yesterday to a rather ho-hum reception from her new hive. In fact none of them paid her any mind at all. Maybe if I had put the red carpet out? But at least they didn’t swarm instantly and try to kill her. Sorry – no tape though. The other hive is going gang busters and they have finally put nectar into the top super so I’m going to add another one this week! Yay!
Happy Holiday to all of us USians too! 🙂 Hope your celebrations are fun and safe.
Glad to hear things are going well in Bee World!
I totally hear you re paperwork piles – I have years of ’em that need to go. If you’re near a Staples store, you might try their shredder service – at our local one, they charge by the pound, then you dump the docs in a locked tote (no middleman) and it gets taken away by the shredder company a few times a week.
Oh wow – thanks for the Staples tip! I had no idea such a service existed.
Very interesting – I’ll bet that red carpet would’ve given the heads up to those ol’ layabout worker bees that royalty was in their midst! And a tiara might’ve helped, too. Or perhaps they were skepp-tical of her origins? ? Very good news about the other hive!
Am amazed you don’t have your AC on! We live in the same climate!
A tiara! snort that is just too much.
Yeah, re the AC, I caved pretty quickly this afternoon. It got to be too much.
Morning — er, afternoon everyone!
No big plans for the weekend. My best friend’s sister is having a “party” (read: buy stuff please) for a company she has gotten involved with called Damsel in Defense. They sell personal defense products like stun guns and pepper spray in stereotypical girly colors like bright pink and purple. I don’t plan to buy anything; I’m mostly just going to see my friend.
And the rains have begun, just as I’m typing this. Ugh. Hope that clears up before I have to leave. At least it keeps the noisy kids inside.
Hi, everyone, and a very happy Canada Day to our neighbors to the north from a grey and rainy Florida! ?? I met my husband many years ago at a Canada Day party in San Diego — we were at a convention, and some mutual friends threw the party. We were both there, and the rest is history!
We’ve had a quiet week. I’m making excellent progress on the baby blanket for our niece, which is good since she’s due in 3 weeks! Otherwise, I’ve been buried with work. This always happens before a holiday — everybody dumps all the stuff to be transcribed on us before the holiday and wants it back right after. Which means we end up working over the holiday and having a quiet week or two afterwards. I used to be frustrated by it, but after so many years I’ve learned to accept it. It’s one of the prices I pay for this job, which still doesn’t outweigh the benefits.
So everybody have a good week and enjoy the holiday, whichever you may celebrate!
Was too humid for life here yesterday, but much better today thru the 4th.
My garage is nearly filled with school stuff I have to sort into keep, donate and trash.? Taught 4th grade for 19 years and moving down to 2nd now, in a smaller room. Already gave away a lot of books (I had a personal library of 500 books–most too high for second graders) and still have several boxes. *sigh* Plus, 2 retiring 2nd grade teachers have given me a TON of stuff–for which I am VERY grateful–but I need to sort and organize it so I know exactly what I’ve got. I really want my car back in my garagage, too.? The goal is to have it done before celebrations on the 4th of July.
Happy 150th, Canada!?
Do save some of those 4th grade books for the advanced readers in your class, 6Rabbits. My kids were both precocious readers and would have greatly enjoyed the more advanced materials. Although my daughter’s 3rd grade teacher just gave her a stack of old National Geographics and set her happily to work on reading them for her language lessons that year; her reading skills were easily up to that level. It was kind of scary, trying to stay ahead of her reading abilities until she was old enough to just turn loose with any books she wanted to read! So I was very grateful for teachers who recognized and encouraged her; if you have kids who read beyond grade limit, they may appreciate having the more challenging materials easily available, too.
It finally stopped raining here long enough for my husband to walk the dogs, who were climbing the walls but both seem to firmly believe that if more than one raindrop hits them, they’re going to melt. Silly creatures! Twice earlier in the day he put their leashes on and opened the door so they could step outside and see the rain falling — we have sheltered doorways on front and back of the house, which is very useful in this climate — and both times they were quite put out. It’s his job to make the rain go away so they can have their walk, darn it all!
At least neither of them has the slightest problem with fireworks; we have some teenage neighbors who are very enthusiastic about shooting off everything that’s legal and probably a few things that aren’t, and last year both dogs just slept right through the din, to our relief. Interestingly, our previous goofy golden retriever, Rusty, was *terrified* of storms, but had no problem at all with fireworks. We think it was the change in barometric pressure and electric charge in the air that he was bothered by. Although he wasn’t bothered by hurricanes, either, which have a much greater change in pressure — but it happens gradually enough I guess it didn’t bother him. He was a challenging dog to cope with at times, but he was also SO sweet and lovable that we were crazy about him anyway. And when we moved from New Orleans, where we’d adopted him and lived for several years after he joined the family, to Maryland, with *far* fewer storms, he became a different dog entirely and turned into the happy, silly goofball we always knew he could be.
Back to work. So all those other folks can enjoy the holiday while we get their work done. Grr…they never seem to think of how that may convenience them, but it inconveniences us!
Rest assured, I still have MANY higher level books! I saved any books K-3.5 and they are already in the classroom. If needed I can bring to school any that I took home. In my years in fourth grade most classes have had reading levels ranging from 1.5-7.0! In the past few years though I haven’t had anyone above 5.5☹️. (Realistically, my new class will have reading levels pre-K to 2.0 starting out.) I LOVE reading and sharing my favorite books and helping kids find their favorites has brought me great joy. I do everything in my power to make sure a child has access to a variety of subjects, genres and reading levels. ?
Re: dogs and rain. We had to do that with our family beagle. She wouldn’t believe it was raining–or blizzarding–until we actually took her to the door and let her see. Such looks of dejection and reproach!?
Happy Canada day!
I spent two hours at the park in 90 degree weather. There was a breeze so that was good, but I was more than ready to go to my air conditioned house by the end of the party. It’s my grandson’s 6th birthday, and Pokemon is is favorite thing this month. He got a lot of Pokemon cards and figures. They did it at the park because there is a spray area, where kids can get wet without having to be in a pool. The kids all love it.
The kittens are growing so fast, there’s no stopping them now. They run and climb and are eating solid food, and using the litter box. One of them sneaked upstairs and got into the bed, I woke up to her curled next to my face. This one is trying to make me keep her, she follows me around mewing, and rubs her face all over me, purring. They play, which makes Sophie and Callie very happy, and Grace likes the break she gets from wrestling when they are playing with the other pets. If I was rich, I’d keep them all.
There was a photo of President Trudeau on CNN this morning and he was wearing a Canadian Tuxedo.
Perfect start to Canada Day, eh?
Ay!